{"id":12732,"date":"2016-08-24T07:09:26","date_gmt":"2016-08-24T14:09:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/?p=12732"},"modified":"2016-08-24T07:10:04","modified_gmt":"2016-08-24T14:10:04","slug":"review-vampirediaries-s7-bd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/2016\/08\/review-vampirediaries-s7-bd\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Seventh Season BD + Screen Caps"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Seventh Season<\/em><\/strong> is hardly terrible but it\u2019s clear the writing and stories weren\u2019t as strong and with Nina Dobrev\u2019s departure, the series needs to end, which it will next season. Still, I\u2019m sure hardcore fans might find it entertaining.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Seventh Season<\/span>
\n(2015-16)<\/span>
\n<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Genre(s): <\/strong>Drama, Fantasy, Romance
\nWarner Home Video | NR \u2013 926 min. \u2013 $54.97 | August 16, 2016<\/p>\n

Date Published:<\/strong> 08\/24\/2016 | Author:<\/strong> The Movieman<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>
\n<\/a><\/td>\n		\n\n\n\n\n\n
FEATURE INFO:
\n<\/u>Directed by: <\/strong>Various
\nWriter(s): <\/strong>L.J. Smith (book); Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson (developed by)
\nCast: <\/strong>Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Kat Graham, Candice King, Matt Davis, Zach Roerig, Michael Malarkey<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
DISC INFO:
\n<\/u>Features: <\/strong>Featurettes, Deleted Scenes, Gag Reel
\nDigital Copy: <\/strong>Yes
\nFormats Included: <\/strong>Blu-ray
\nNumber of Discs: <\/strong>3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Audio: <\/strong>English (DTS-HD MA 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0)
\nVideo: <\/strong>1080p\/Widescreen 1.78
\nSubtitles: <\/strong>English SDH, Spanish
\nDisc Size: <\/strong>NA
\nCodec: <\/strong>MPEG-4 AVC
\nRegion(s): <\/strong>A, B, C<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"
\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

THE SEASON \u2014 3.0\/5<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Season Synopsis: <\/strong>After Elena Gilbert succumbs to the sleeping curse at the end of the sixth season, those who remain must try to pick up the pieces and move on. Damon (IAN SOMERHALDER) attempts to live life as \u201cjust Damon.\u201d Stefan (PAUL WESLEY) confronts his first love while growing closer to Caroline (CANDICE KING), who grieves the loss of both her friend and her mom. Bonnie (KAT GRAHAM) explores her new powers. Damon and Stefan\u2019s mother, Lily (ANNIE WERSCHING), tries to drive a wedge between her sons. Damon is determined to take down his mother and her band of Heretics \u2013 who are hellbent on retaliation and mayhem \u2013 while Enzo (MICHAEL MALARKEY) struggles with his loyalties. With idyllic Mystic Falls apparently falling apart, the action and suspense is grittier and more white-knuckled than ever.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Quick Hit Review: The Vampire Diaries<\/em><\/strong> enters into its seventh season with major changes, the main one being the departure of Nina Dobrev\u2019s Elena character who slumbers in a casket located within a crypt. The reasons for her leaving are up for debate whether burnt out and wanting to do something new (she is co-starring with Vin Diesel in xXx: The Return of Xander Cage<\/em>) or the drama between her, Somerhalder and his wife, Nikki Reed. Whatever the reason, whether or not she stayed, the series was beginning to become long in the tooth (so to speak).<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not to say there aren\u2019t some interesting moments this season. I still enjoy watching the brotherly conflict between Damon and Stefan and adding their mother into the mix, along with her hellish minions, was a nice touch, not to mention seeing the lovely Annie Wesching in a series following her departure from Amazon\u2019s Bosch<\/em> series (highly recommend that show, fwiw). But outside of those two, you have Caroline spinning her wheels dealing with the loss of Elena and even Bonnie\u2019s storyline isn\u2019t that interesting. Even so, and while this series isn\u2019t what it once was (probably could\u2019ve or should\u2019ve ended after five season… sacrilege I know), the upcoming season 8 will be its last and the series finale will see the return of Dobrev, much to the delight of fans…<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

SPECIAL FEATURES \u2013 2.25\/5<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

The 3-disc set is housed in an HD Keep Case and side-slides into a matted slip cover<\/strong>. Inside there is a redemption code for the Digital HD<\/u><\/strong> copy.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately the features aren\u2019t that great this go-around:<\/p>\n

Unaired Scenes<\/u><\/strong> are available on \u2018Day One of Twenty-Two Thousand, Give or Take\u2019, \u2018Never Let Me Go\u2019, \u2018Age of Innocence\u2019, \u2018I Carry Your Heart with Me\u2019, \u2018Live Through This\u2019, \u2018Best Served Cold\u2019, \u2018Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me\u2019, \u2018Hell is Other People\u2019, \u2018This Woman\u2019s Work\u2019, \u2018Moonlight on the Bayou\u2019, \u2018One Way or Another\u2019, \u2018Requiem for a Dream\u2019 and \u2018Gods & Monsters\u2019<\/p>\n

Directing Vampires<\/em> (7:20; HD)<\/u><\/strong> \u2013 Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley discuss helming the undead in their respective directing duties this season.<\/p>\n

2015 Comic-Con Panel (27:16; HD)<\/u><\/strong> is footage of the cast and producers as we look ahead to Season 7.<\/p>\n

Come Visit Georgia PSA (5:29; HD)<\/u><\/strong> \u2013 See how locations in and around Atlanta become Mystic Falls.<\/p>\n

And last up is a Gag Reel (3:49; HD)<\/u><\/strong> with outtakes and bloopers from the season.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

VIDEO \u2013 4.5\/5<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Seventh Season<\/em><\/strong> sinks its teeth onto Blu-ray presented in its original televised 1.78 widescreen aspect ratio and a 1080p high-definition transfer (MPEG-4 AVC codec). Much like the other seasons, this one looks great in HD with often times bright colors during daylight scenes to the starkness for the dark ones showing no signs of artifacting, pixilation or banding. Detail levels are also quite impressive especially for the close-ups and even some of the background objects. (Copied from the Season 5 Blu-ray review)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

AUDIO \u2013 4.25\/5<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is what I consider adequate, just not very expansive. Dialogue levels at least are relatively crisp and clear and some of the sound effects aren\u2019t bad, but at the same time, it\u2019s not especially dynamic where some of it just comes off as flat at times. Still, when the soundtrack kicks in, be it the score or choice pop\/teen music, it\u2019s bad. (Copied from the Season 5 Blu-ray review)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"
\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

OVERALL \u2013 3.0\/5<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Overall, The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Seventh Season<\/em><\/strong> is hardly terrible but it\u2019s clear the writing and stories weren\u2019t as strong and with Nina Dobrev\u2019s departure, the series needs to end, which it will next season. Still, I\u2019m sure hardcore fans might find it entertaining through and through. The Blu-ray released by Warner Home Video offers good video\/audio transfers but the features are a bit lacking.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Check out some more screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers<\/strong>.
\nThese are only here to give an idea of the movie\u2019s video quality and may not be truly representative of it.<\/p>\n